Naidu adamant about 'fighting BJP at Centre'

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Telugu Desam Party president Nara Chandrababu Naidu asserted that he had not told President K R Narayanan that his party would support a Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre.

Naidu explained that he had told the President that the TDP had not decided its stand.

He had also told Narayanan that he was fighting the Congress
and could not support a government led by that party at the Centre. ''I have never said (to the President) that I will support the BJP,'' he said.

''After what the Congress had done yesterday and today (in the state assembly), how can I join them?'' he said.

Refusing to react to media reports that the United Front was contemplating his expulsion for his neutral stand, Naidu said, ''To date, I am the convenor.... I have no difference or rift with the UF partners and there is no change in the TDP stand of fighting the BJP at the national level and the Congress at the state level. We have explained our stand to the UF partners,'' he said, adding that his party politburo would discuss the issue and announce its stand 'at an appropriate time'.

Naidu said he would not attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government tomorrow.

He parried questions on a BJP-led government, saying 'somebody had to form the government'.